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Montreal

Montreal is the metropolis of the province of Quebec. Quebec City is the political capital but Montreal is the cultural and economic capital of Quebec and the main entry point to the province.

The second largest city in Canada, it is a city rich in culture and history, has an inordinate number of attractive, fashionably dressed people, and a well-deserved reputation as one of the liveliest cities in North America. Montreal is the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, behind Paris and Kinshasa. The population of Montreal is approximately 3.8 million.

Source: Wikitravel. A list of contributors is available at the original article on Wikitravel.

Montreal is a culinary mecca and has a huge variety of food options, from diners and fast food to low-cost ethnic restaurants to haute cuisine. The city was recently ranked 2nd best dining city in North America after San Francisco and ahead of New York.

The large local Jewish population has contributed local specialties including huge smoked meat sandwiches (beef brisket) (Schwartz's is undisputably the most authentic smoked meat restaurant) and small, crusty bagels (the undisputed classic bagel places are St-Viateur's and Fairmount Bagels). Other specialties are "all-dressed" pizza (pepperoni, mushrooms and green peppers), pizza and spaghetti with smoked meat, and Quebecois favourites like split pea soup and poutine. Montreal claims to have the most restaurants per capita in North America.

With delis and bakeries and diners galore, Montreal offers great budget dining. Venues are scattered all over the city, but the largest concentration of restaurants is along rues Saint-Laurent, Saint-Denis and Mont-Royales the Plateau. Tasty and cheap ethnic food and lots of India buffets can be found around the Jean-Talon market.

Two Montreal classics, poutine and the smoked meat sandwich, can make a filling meal for under $10. Pizza-by-the-slice can be had for a loonie, and there's always the option of rolling your own picnic with fresh produce from Marché Atwater or Jean Talon Market. Several kosher restaurants can be found within a few blocks of each other on Queen Mary road not far from the Snowdon Métro station and boul Décarie near Villa-Maria-des-Neiges. The other greatest concentration of kosher food in along Bernard in Ouremont.

Source: Wikitravel. A list of contributors is available at the original article on Wikitravel.